Local firm Shadforths Civil Contractors was awarded the bulk earthworks contract for Stage 1A of the project -civil, electrical, and landscape construction- and those works have been underway for some time.

On Monday 27 June SunCoast Maroochydore will call for EOI's for the city centre's commercial zone, targetting institutional and private equity investors and large tenants.

SunCoast Maroochydore expects to be contracting for the major civil works in a few months' time - so stay tunedfor upcoming announcements.

The CBD will be the first stage of the project, followed by mixed commercial and residential development, with hopes of attracting a major tourism hotel operator to the site.

The project will create thousands of jobs and generate millions of dollars for the region and ties in with the expansion of the nearby airport and new light rail system to connect to the new $2b Sunshine Coast University Hospital.

Exciting times are ahead - we'll definitely be keeping an eye on the Sunshine Coast!